The Newt Conservation Partnership
The Newt Conservation Partnership is a community benefit society whose sole purpose is creating and managing high quality habitat for great crested newts. Led by staff from the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust and the Freshwater Habitats Trust, it works alongside us to deliver an approved conservation strategy across the regions where our District Licensing Scheme operates.
Dr Pascale Nicolet, CEO of the Newt Conservation Partnership, said: “This is a very exciting time for great crested newt conservation. We are creating hundreds of clean water ponds as well as wonderful new woodland and meadow habitat for great crested newts across England. From many years of experience, I know that this is a great opportunity to make a positive difference, and I look forward to working with many more landowners and managers to deliver new habitats to the highest standard as the scheme continues to expand.”
Amphibian and Reptile Conservation
The Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust is a national wildlife charity committed to conserving amphibians and reptiles and saving the disappearing habitats on which they depend. The trust works in collaboration with us to deliver landscape-scale, long-term conservation benefits for great crested newts, saving species, improving habitats, and enhancing lives in the process.
Dr Tony Gent, Chief Executive of the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust, said: “We have been calling for many years for improvements to the way the planning system deals with newts – the worst thing about the traditional system is that after sometimes very significant delays and costs, there is often very little meaningful newt conservation at the end of it. We support the NatureSpace scheme because it produces a very positive step-change in the way the planning system delivers conservation for great crested newts.”
Freshwater Habitats Trust
The aim of the Freshwater Habitats Trust is to protect freshwater life for everyone to enjoy. The trust works in partnership with people, communities and organisations to get the best results for freshwater wildlife and ensure the habitat thrives for years to come. As experts in aquatic and terrestrial environments, the Freshwater Habitats Trust works with us to create, manage and monitor ponds for great crested newts.
Dr Jeremy Biggs, Director of the Freshwater Habitats Trust, said: “We are very pleased to have contributed our expertise to the regional surveys which inform the NatureSpace scheme, and to the ongoing creation and management of ponds funded by the scheme. Together, we have already created over 100 ponds across the region. These ponds are of course created for great crested newts but are also full of other wildlife and are benefiting hundreds of other freshwater species, many of which are increasingly threatened by the water pollution and loss of high-quality ponds we have seen over the last 50 years.”
